The Assassins Apprentice
by Immortal-Ringmaster
Summary: Hazel Duvall is a highly talented Assassin who loves her job. But when she takes on an apprentice, things begin to get a little hectic.
1. Chapter One

As Hazel Duvall sat in the fancy hotel's bar, she eyed each guest with the slightest insecurity. Her ice-blue eyes, rimmed in midnight-black eyeliner, scanned every person in the room with a kind of thirst, trying to absorb every detail like a sponge absorbs water. As she glanced at the oak bar, she saw the Irish bartender flirting with an English businessman. She was whispering something to him as she ran her dainty hands through his slicked-back brown hair. Next, Hazel noticed the drunk American man gazing at the bartender and the businessman with a greedy look in his eyes. Finally, Hazel looked at the young woman sitting in the chair across from her. She was reading _The Circus of Darkness_ , a book that had topped the charts that year. She was wiping her eyes of tears, most likely of sadness. Everyone looked so calm, so happy, none of them carried the burden that Hazel had carried for almost her entire life.

"Excuse me, miss?" Hazel turned her head to look at the young man standing next to her. He was wearing a red polo shirt, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. His golden name tag read **CHRIS** in dark block letters. "Would you like some more coffee?" He held up the coffee pot that he was holding. Hazel nodded, and he pored coffee into her cup. She took a sip, and smiled as the warmth of the coffee filled her.

"Excuse me, Chris?" I asked. "Do you happen to know if a man named George Forwell is currently staying in this hotel?" He thought about my question for a couple minutes.

"I can check on the computer and see. Did you say his name was George Forwell?" Hazel nodded, and he went over to the front desk. Hazel began to sip her coffee, quietly enjoying every sip. When Chris came back, she placed her cup on the table next to her.

"Mr. Forwell is currently staying in Room 347, should I call him and tell him to expect some company?" Hazel shook her head, her long brown hair flopping from side to side.

"No thank you Chris," she responded. "I want my visit to be a surprise." Chris nodded, and went over to the bar to refill his coffee pot. After he left, she stood up and left the bar. As she did, she pulled out the ruby pendant from inside her shirt. That pendant showed her membership in the Ruby Assassins, one of the most well-known groups in Fray.

Later that night, Hazel crouched on the balcony of Room 347, her black assassins cloak billowing out behind her. Inside that room was one of the most feared Drug Lords in Fray. George Forwell had transported over two million dollars' worth of cocaine across the city just this year. Overall, George had been made the number one priority on Hazel's kill list. Hazel carefully opened the sliding glass door, looked behind her, and slipped into the dark room.

As she stayed low to the ground, she took in her surroundings. The walls were a navy blue color, and the carpet was the same color. There was a black leather couch in the center of the room, and a small table next to it. The main thing that caught her eye was the large table a few feet away from the couch. On the table was three black duffel bags, and Hazel guessed that they were all filled with cocaine. Just as Hazel was going to get a closer look, she felt the floor vibrate under her feet. She quickly dove into the corner of the room, just as two men entered the room. Due to her cloaks Camo-Tech, she could basically turn invisible, her cloak would turn the color that was behind, next to, or underneath. When she saw the man that had walked into the room, she smiled. George Forwell had arrived.

George had changed from the last time Hazel had seen him. His once bald head was now full of messy, raven-black hair. The scar on his face that she gave him when she first tried to kill him had healed nicely, but had left a white line across his tan skin. He was wearing a fancy black suit, and a black fedora rested on his head. In his hands were two more duffle bags, most likely filled with his drug money. He turned and looked out the door.

"Hey Sam, did you see anyone follow us here?" He asked a man who had just walked into the room. Hazel cursed under her breath. _Of course he would hire a bodyguard_ , she thought angrily. She looked at the man, Sam, and took him in. The man had short dirty-blond hair, gelled up in a spike in the front. His leaf-green eyes darted around the room, passing over Hazel two or three times before answering his boss.

" _Nein, Herr Forwell_ ," Sam replied. He seemed to have a German accent. "The room and the hallways are cleared." George grinned, and shooed Sam away with a flick of his hand. Sam nodded, and walked back out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. Hazel breathed a sigh of relief. _Having that bodyguard out in the hall should make my job much easier._ Hazel thought to herself as she quietly made her way over to George. As she started moving closer, George sat down, and opened the duffle bag. As he pulled out the cash, he began to count the money. As Hazel reached the couch, she slowly came to a stop, right behind George. Then, as fast as she could, she lashed out, one arm wrapping around his arms, and a hand covering his mouth.

"Hello, George," she said. "Remember me?" Georges' eyes widened as he registered the voice, and started to yell.

"MMMMPH! MMMMMMMPH!" George cried out, tears rolling down his face. Unfortunately, his bodyguard has excellent hearing, and burst into the room, his gun drawn. He slowly took in the scene. His employer struggling with an invisible assailant, Hazel could see the confusion cloud his judgment. George got his mouth free from Hazels' hand.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?" George screamed. "JUST SHOOT!" Sam nodded, and raised his gun. Hazel began to panic. Just as she was about to dive out of the way. Sam shot George right in the middle of his forehead. Hazels' jaw dropped. Sam put his gun away, and sighed.

"Why don't you come out now, _Frau Duvall_?" He says. Hazel hesitated. _How the hell does he know my name?_ She asked herself. Finally, Hazel let the Camo Tech deactivate, and she pulled back her hood, letting her long hair tumble down her back. She looked at him, asking herself a lot of questions.

"Who…are you?" She finally asked him, her hands slowly reaching for her daggers. Sam seemed to notice the movement, and he chuckled.

" _Guten Tag_ , my name is Sam Heindbeurg, your new partner," he responded, a gleam in his eyes. "Shall we report to Queen Elisa? She must want to know everything about Herr Forwell's death, _ja_?" Hazel nodded, and they set off together.


	2. Chapter Two

As they approached the Ruby Assassins base, they could see the check-in station at the door. The Queens' metal guard dog Cerberus, was resting in front of the station. As they approached the station, Cerberus picked up his three heads, and began to bark. After seven years of membership, Hazel barely flinched as Cerberus snapped at her heals. She pulled out her pendant, and Cerberus calmed down. She patted his heads, and waited for Sam to pass through. When Sam got there, Cerberus began barking, and Sam jumped back in alarm.

" _Nein, Hund, nein_!" He yelled as Cerberus almost grabbed his legs. He looked up at Hazel, alarmed.

"Show him your pendant, and he'll stop." Hazel called out, trying to bite back her laughter. He nodded, and pulled it out. Once Cerberus saw it, he calmed down immediately. Sam patted his three heads, and quickly ran up to Hazel. "Have you never come in through this entrance before?" He shook his head.

" _Nein_ , this is the first time I have ever actually been here." He responded.

"Are you a new recruit?" He nodded. "Oh, that makes sense. Come on, let's go and meet the Queen." With that, she led him through the double oak doors, and entered the base.

When they had walked down three flights of stairs, they finally reached the Main Hall. Hazel smiled when she saw Sam's jaw drop at the sight of the Main Hall, and Hazel didn't blame him. The Hall itself was a large cavern about thirteen feet tall, and the walls were made of red rock. The walls were covered in red banners, and large rubies were placed into the wall. There was a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and it glistened with the candle light. _Elisa really should get an upgrade_ , she thought to herself. On the far side of the Hall, there was a large oak throne, on which a pretty woman with shoulder-length auburn hair and a red dress sat. Queen Elisa was currently counseling two young assassins, maybe seventeen, on their latest assignment.

"Even though you both completed the assignment, which I must congratulate you for, I received word that Ferrows' stealth was extremely sloppy, and Rani had to do all of the work," The boy, Ferrow, drooped his head in shame. "Thus, I am giving the credit to this mission to Rani. Why don't you teach Ferrow Stealth for a couple of days Rani?" The girl nodded. "Good, you are both dismissed." The two assassins bowed to Elisa, and quickly scampered down a dark hallway. Elisa sighed, looked up, and grinned.

"Hazel! Sam!" She said. "Come, you must tell me all about the assignment." Hazel nodded, took a deep breath, and told their Queen everything, from her time in the bar, to the actual killing of George. When the Queen herd that, she began to laugh.

"You, the great Hazel Duval, missed a kill?" She laughed. "Then I am glad that I sent Sam to come and get you." Elisa slowly stopped laughing, and took a breath. "Now, the reason I had Sam come and get you was because I am going to have you train Sam. Since he is a new recruit, I feel that it is best for him to train with the best, am I correct?" Hazel nodded. _That's why she sent him to get me_ , she thought to herself. The Queen smiled. "Good," she said. "I hope to receive Daily Reports on his progress, am I clear?" Hazel nodded, even though on the inside she was screaming curses at Elisa. The Queen should know better than anyone that Daily Reports are a huge pain to fill out, since nobody has updated the in twenty-five years, in 2014. "Good," Elisa smiled. "Start with the Basics, and I can tell you when he is ready to move on, do you understand?" She nodded. "Good, you are both dismissed." Both Hazel and Sam bowed to the Queen, and the walk out of the Main Hall.

"Excuse me, _Frau Duval_?" Sam asks. "When do we start training?" Hazel stops walking, and turns to face Sam.

"Right now." She replied as they come to another set of doors. Hazel pushes them open, and they walk into the Training Room.

When Hazel had first joined, the Training Room had fascinated her just as much as how Sam was fascinated about it now. The walls were made of steel, as well as the floor and ceiling. There was nobody else in the room, so their footsteps echoed around the room as they walked. There were punching bags hanging from steel chains, sparing dummies, and many targets. On the other side of the room, there was everything else. In one corner, there was the bladed weapons, from daggers and swords, to bows and arrows, to axes and darts. In the middle of the wall, there was a large glass cabinet filled with poisons and their antidotes, as well as water bottles, Gatorades, and flavored waters. In the other corner, there was a large metal cabinet that held a lot of tools, like duct tape, nails, hammers, rope, screws, and screwdrivers. There was also paints of every color that you could imagine.

"Amazing," Sam said. "What am I going to be taught first, _Frau Duvall_?" Hazel thought for a brief moment.

"How about we start with the basic Escape and Evade procedures, okay?" Sam nodded. "As a Ruby Assassin, it is our number one priority to not be seen or caught while killing. But, it can happen, so you need to know what to do when that happens." With that, Hazel grabbed a wooden chair with arm rests attached to it. After that, she grabbed a large roll of duct tape from the large metal cabinet, and walked back to Sam. "Would you please sit down?" She asked him. He started to look a little nervous.

"Is this really necessary? Could I just watch an informational video on how to do it instead?" She shook her head. He sighed, and walked over and sat down in the chair.

"Ready?" Hazel asked him. Sam gave her a quick nod, and she got to work. She taped his arms to the armrests of the chair by wrapping them three times. After that, she proceeded to tape his ankles, legs, and chest to the chair. Sam tries to pull up his arms.

"Wow," Sam said. "That's pretty tight. Are you almost done?" She stepped back, and took a look at him.

"Just about." Hazel said. She ripped a piece off of the roll, and stuck it on Sams' mouth. She did that again two more times.

"Mmpph! Mmpph." Sam complained. He glared at Hazel, and she grinned.

"Quiet down," she said. ""Now try and get out of it." Sam grunted and struggled for a couple of minutes, and then he snapped the tape off around his wrists. After a moment of stunned silence, he then ripped off the tape around his ankles, legs, and chest. He stood up, and ripped the tape off of his mouth. He looked at Hazel and grinned.

"How is that for an escape, _Frau Duvall_?" He asked, grinning. Hazel just stared at him, unable to quite understand what she had just seen.

"How…" she stammered as Sam walked over to her with a gleam in his eye.

" _Meine_ sister and her friends would tape me to a chair a lot back in Germany, so eventually I got good at escaping." Hazel smiled. _His sister has saved me a lot of time with this,_ she thought to herself.

"What's your sister's name?" Hazel asked Sam. He frowned, as if thinking.

"" _Ich habe keine Idea_." Sam responded. "I can remember the things that we did together, but I can't remember her name." Hazel sighed.

"Well, at least I asked." She said. "Come on, let's move on to the next part of your training." With that, Hazel led Sam to a different part of the room, the Silent Killer Section.


	3. Chapter Three

The poison and antidote cabinet was made of a greenish glass, and had two kinds of bottles. The poisons were labeled with their names in red ink, and their cures were labeled in green ink. Once they got there, Hazel turned around to face Sam.

"How well do you know you poisons and antidotes?" She asked him. He shrugged his shoulders.

" _Nicht so gut_ ," he replied. "I only got a sixty percent on that part of the Entry Exam." Hazel grinned. She remembered the Entry Exam all too well. She was the only one in her Entry Year to get a perfect score on it.

"Then we'll start with the basics." She said as she grabbed a long piece of black cloth and tied it around Sams' eyes as a blindfold. She then guided him to a chair fir him to sit down in. "We first need to test you on your sense of smell, okay?"

"Ja," he replied. That's fine with me." Hazel grinned, and went over to the cabinet. She grabbed a bottle of poison labeled RAT POISON in red block letters.

"We are going to start with poisons, okay?" She called over her shoulder. He nodded his head, and she walked back over to the chair. "Sniff this, and tell me what it is." She held it under his nose, and he sniffed, paused, and then sniffed again.

"Is that... rat poison?" He asked. Hazel grinned, and playfully punched him in the arm.

"You peeked!" She said, laughing. All Sam did was smile. "Alright, let's move on to the next poison." Hazel went over to the glass cabinet, and stood in front of it, looking at her choices. _I think he might know the smell of Windex, and he defiantly wouldn't know Jellyfish Goo_ , she pondered. Finally, she grabbed a bottle of _NIGHTSHADE_ , and brought it over to Sam.

"Try this one." Hazel said. She held it under his nose, and he sniffed it, and grinned.

"I know this one quite well," he said. "Is it Nightshade?" Hazel felt her jaw drop.

"I thought you only got a sixty on the Exam?" He nodded. "That question was one that almost everyone gets wrong!"

"Ja," he said. "I did, but my sister had a small garden in our backyard, and Nightshade was one of the things that she grew in that garden." Hazel smiled. _This sister has saved me a lot of trouble_ , she thought as she walked over to put the bottle back.

"Now we're going to move on to the Antidotes." She said as grabbed a bottle labeled _ESSENCE OF CLOVERWOOD_ in green block letters. She walked back over to Sam, and held it under his nose.

"Es tut mir Leid," Sam said. "I do not know this one."


End file.
